Shogun Total War: Problem solved!
Since 2010, I got new PC but got problems to play STW on it.
After tried and retried, after reading many online forums, today, March 8 2012, I finally got all problems solved for my STW!
For those who never played an old strategy game called Shogun Total War (Not Shogun Total War II)．You missed one of the best strategy game ever made.
The reason that I try to keep playing this old game instead of the newest Shogun Total War II is because the campaign map. In Shogun Total War, the campaign map is more like a chess game system. Which gives me direct and quick total control of all army units.
Then started with Rome Total War，ＥA, developer of this famous Total war game series, adopted a Civilization game system for campaign interface, which I consider as a big mistake instead of an improvement.
Civilization strategy campaign interface asks player spend much more time for the useless character walking/moving (and even talking!) scene. Which I hate so much that I did not play any newer versions of Total War series since RTW. Not mention that I did not play any Civilization series game since I met Civilization I ：）According to me, the only success Civilization moving mode game were Heroes of Might & Magic series, Disciples series and Age of Wonders series. Those games did not concentrate on 3D moving show business as EA did for Total War series.
Here are the tips I like to share with all the STW fans.
1. Only STW warlord edition or gold edition works for XP system. Install full version (1.6G) is recommanded.
2. Campaign map: For certain video card, it does not work, for system has Necro codec, it does not work. If have problem with campaign map, please install CCCP codec. Just use it with default settings.Same solution if get freeze problem in throne room.
3. Battle map: that is the biggest problem. I got no control of army during battle. Could not select unit by click on their flags, could not point enemy unit to attack, could not point unit to move to right location... I removed game last year from PC because of these problems.
I just found the solution today!
In default mode, use F3/F4 keys to zoom, sometimes it will solve control problem. But it does not work for 100% sure.
I want to game option and changed video in battle to minimum. And I finally got my control back! the only problem is I lost mouse control of camera and get to use arrow keys to move camera "manually".
But it is just a little price to pay in order to get my control back!
lazy